Match booklet convertible into a toy



April 16, 1940. Q R EATON 2,197,451

MATCH BOOKLET CONVERTIBLE INTO A TOY Filed April 28, 1939 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1940 MATCH BOGKLET convenrintnmro 'rov Orville It. Eaton, Oxon Hill, Md.

Application April 28, 1939, Serial No. 270,643

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a convertible book of matches.

An object of the invention is the provision of a book of matches which has its back portion and a part of its cover perforated along predetermined lines and also indented along predetermined lines so that after substantially all of the matches have been used a child can cut through the perforated portions or tear them away and bend sections along the indentations to form toys in the form of airplanes, butterflies or distorted forms of animals and many other objects, preferably a pair of the matches centrally located being left intact for representing when probably bent or twisted the propellers of an airplane or the antenna of a butterfly and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a booklet of matches which is so constructed that it may be readily converted into a toy after the booklet has been discarded for the amusement of children, indentations being placed upon the back and cover of the booklet in connection with a predetermined coloring of certain sections so that a child may readily tear. or cut the booklet and bend it into such shape so as to simulate various objects, birds, or animals, a pair of the match stems being left intact and preferably colored for aiding in carrying forward the design intended by the marking impressed or stamped on the back and cover of the booklet.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a booklet of matches which is so constructed that it may be readily converted into a toy after the booklet has been discarded, the base 1 of the packet of matches having indications for bending the same outwardly for representing legs, wheels or skids belonging to various articles with the back portion or cover being provided with instructions for tearing the same along perforated lines and bending the same along indented lines to produce grotesque figures repre-.

senting various objects. I

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invencarded booklet of matches which has been converted into a toy airplane,

Figure 2 is a view in perspective showing the underface of the converted booklet of matches,

Figure 3 is a View in perspective of a discarded booklet showing the blank with indentations and perforations for forming the objects shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a View in perspective of the discarded booklet of matches and disclosing the first step of converting the booklet of matches into an object,

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of another form of object made from a booklet of matches and representing in effect a butterfly,

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the discarded booklet of matches showing perforated lines and indented lines for forming the objects shown in Fig. 5, and

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of another form of the convertible match booklet.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, ii] designates a discarded booklet of matches having a back portion H, a cover l2 and an inturned flange I3.

Located between the inturned flange and the back portion i is a base member M of a packet of matches which is made from two strips of cardboard which are slit longitudinally to form match stems l5 having heads it; The flange l3, base It and back portion l I are connected together by a paper fastener ill at the central portion of the flange and base member.

The back portion is provided with a plurality of perforated lines Zii, 2i and 22. The cover is provided with a transversely disposed perforated line 23. This last-mentioned line may be located at the front where the cover joins the back portion or the line may be located solely within the cover portion 2. The back portion is also provided with indented lines 24 which run from points upon opposite sides of an opening 25 adjacent one edge of the base M of the package of matches to points 26 where the lines 28 and 22 meet.

The perforated lines M are shorter than the lines and the lines 2i run from a point adjacent the inner end of the indented line 2 3 to points 27 at the side edges of the back portion ii. The perforated lines 2i) extend from the points 26 inwardly and terminate in the points El. The perforated lines 22 extend from the points 26 to the outer edges of the back portion H and are substantially parallel with the outer free edge 28 of the cover l2. parallel to the line 22.

A pair of stems 15 which are ,left in position The line 23 is also v on the base Id of the packet of matches may be ordinarily colored or so marked that the user of the matches will permit these two stems to remain in position and these stems may be utilized for crudely representing a propeller at the forward end of the toy when the booklet of matches has been converted into a toy airplane, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For this purpose the stems are bent, as shown at 30, at an angle so that the bent portions will extend outwardly from each other to form arms 3|.

The inturned flange l3 of the back portion II is provided with a match striking surface 32 and this surface may be of any color desired.

After thepacket of matches has been used except for the two indicated match stems l5, the operator will grasp the back portion with the fingers of one hand and will grasp the base portion It with the fingers of the other hand and by exerting a pull on the back portion while holding the base l4 stationary, the material of the back portion will be broken away at the point Where the paper fastener I! is located whereby a portion 35 of the back portion will be torn away and be held by the fastener as shown in Fig. 2, thereby leaving an opening 36 in the back portion and this opening when the booklet of matches is formed into an airplane as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will represent the cockpit of the airplane.

The breaking away of the base l4 and the flange I3 from the back portion 6 constitutes the first step in converting the booklet of matches into an object. The end portions 31 of the base may then be bent downwardly along the indented lines 38 to represent the skids or wheels of the airplane while the flange l3 will represent the extended wings of the plane.

As has been explained, the match stems l are bent, as shown at 30, to simulate the propeller of the airplane.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the cover or a portion of the cover is torn off along the perforated line 23. The back portion II is torn along the perforated lines 20, 22 and 2|, thus leaving a central body portion 40 and triangular side portions 4|. These side portions are bent along the indented lines 24 in a downward manner so that the member 40 and the members 4! form the fuselage'of the airplane. The tearing away along the lines 2|) and 22 also leaves a tail portion 42 which may be bent upwardly along the indented line 43 if desired.

While I have shown a particular direction for the perforated lines 20, 2| and 22, these may be varied to give different configurations to the fuselage if desired.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that variations in the positions of the perforated lines and indented lines may be made to produce a different type of article or representation from that portion in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. In this instance perforated lines 50, 5| and 52 are formed in the back portion |a so that when the back portion is torn along these lines and bent at th indented portions 53 a body 54, a tail 55 and wings 56 will be provided for representing portions of a butterfly. When the back portion is torn along the lines 52 the cover |2a is removed. In this instance the end portions 37a of one member of the base Ma is bent downwardly to form the legs while the remaining section 58 of the base is retained in a horizontal position or a fiat condition. The ends 60 of the flange |3a are bent upwardly.

The stems |5a of the packet of matches which remain connected to the base member |4a extend outwardly and may be spread apart if desired to represent the antenna of the butterfly.

The back portion is also provided with perforated lines 6|, 62 and 63 adjacent the flange |3a so that the portion 65 may be torn away for separating the wing portion 56a from the flange |3a in order to carry out the effect of the butterfly.

Instead of bending the portion 56 back upon the wing portion 56a, this portion may be retained in its normal position and in the same plane with the portion 56a for representing the wings.

.While I have shown two similar methods for converting a discarded booklet of matches into several forms, it will be appreciated that many variations may be had for producing other indentations to provide toys and these portions which will remain after certain sections have been torn away may be colored to represent the various objects which are produced by the conversion. The inside portion of the cover which is discarded may be provided with instructions for converting the booklet of matches into a toy. However, advertisements may be printed on the outer face of the back and cover as is usual without in any way affecting the design of the toy created after the booklet of matches has been discarded.

- In order to eliminate danger of a child striking the unlighted matches the ends of the matches inwardly of the match heads may be given a different color or the same color as the match head and the match heads then may be torn off before it is handed to a child or the match heads may be omitted from the centrally disposed stems I5 so that the user of the booklet of matches would not attempt to tear these out. In this manner the elimination of the heads from these stems will serve not only as a positive means for preventing the tearing of the stems from the package but will also eliminate danger of the child lighting the match heads.

In Fig. '7 is shown a modified form of a used booklet of matches in which all of the matches have been removed and in which the cover has been cut away leaving only the back 10, the strips 1! and 12 from which the matches were torn and the U-shaped paper fastener 13 which connects the strip to the inner face of the free end of the back.

The inner face of the back is provided with lines or other indications 14, I5 and 16 along which cuts are tobe made to form a body or representation of a fuselage H, a tail-piece 18, and wheels 19, respectively.

The body portion is adapted to be bent downwardly along the indented lines 80 to complete the appearance of the fuselage and the wheels 19 will also be positioned at this time.

The tail-piece l8 and the opposite ends of the strip '1! are bent upwardly as desired.

The various portions of the back may be printed in suitable colors to complete the illusion of the objects formed therefrom.

I claim:

1. A convertible book for matches comprising a back portion having an inturned flange at one end, a packet of matches including a base portion and a pair of integral stems projecting from said base portion which is located between the back and inturned flange, means connecting the back portion, the base portion and the flange together in such a manner that when the connected flange and base are pulled outwardly from 15 the back portion and placed in substantially the same plane with the back, an opening will be formed in the back and the stems will extend forwardly from the released flange, a cover projecting from the other end of the back and enclosing the packet, the base portion and flange being provided with transverse indented lines, said back portion having a plurality of per forated lines and indented lines between certain of the perforated lines so that when portions of the back are removed between the perforated lines and the back, base and flange are bent along the indented lines, the simulation of an object will be had in connection with the forwardly projecting stems.

2. A book of matches convertible into a toy comprising a back portion having an inturned flange, a match packet having a base located between the flange and the back, means securing the flange, back and base together intermediate the ends of the flange, said connected flange and base as a unit being forced away from the back and located in the same plane with the back, a pair of match stems projecting outwardly and centrally from the base, the base at opposite sides of the stems being indented so that the ends of the base may be bent downwardly to form a support, the back portion being provided with perforated sections adapted to be removed from the back portion, the remaining section of the back having indented lines for folding portions of the back to form a body for the toy.

3. A book of matches convertible into a toy comprising a back portion, a match packet having a base secured intermediate its ends transversely to one end of the back, means securing the base to the back, a pair of stems projecting outwardly from the base, the base at opposite sides of the central portion being indented so that the ends of the'base may be bent downwardly to provide a support, the back portion being provided with perforated sections which are adapted to be removed from the back portion, said back portion having indentations at opposite sides of a longitudinal center line, said indentations being in lines which are at an angle to the center line so that when the perforated sections are removed and portions of the back are bent along the indentations the body and other elements of the toy are formed.

4. A book of matches convertible into a toy comprising a back portion, a match packet having a base secured intermediate its ends transversely to one end of the back, means securing the base to the back, a pair of stems projecting outwardly from the base, the base at opposite sides of the central portion being indented so that the ends of the base may be bent downwardly to provide a support, the back portion being provided with substantially triangularlyshaped perforated sections which are adapted to be removed from the back portion, said back portion having indentations at opposite sides of a longitudinal center line, said indentations being in lines which are at an angle to the center line so that when the substantially triangularly shaped sections are removed and portions 01' the back are bent along the indentations the body andother elements of the toy are formed.

ORVILLE R. EATON. 

